4 die in rain-related incidents

Four persons were killed in rain-related incidents since Friday evening, and normal life in many districts and Puducherry were paralysed as a depression crossed the coast near Nagapattinam on Saturday afternoon.

The downpour and heavy winds resulted in a trail of destruction, uprooting trees and electricity poles, damaging buildings and inundating low-level areas.

Mining operation in Neyveli Lignite Corporation was hit from the midnight of Friday to Saturday noon owing to the incessant rain. However, electricity generation remained unaffected as thermal power stations were being fed from the existing fuel stock.

More rains likely

Though the system, which lay over south west Bay of Bengal on Friday, crossed the coast in the afternoon, more rainfall is likely over the next four days in many parts of the State and the Union Territory.

Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai and Sirkazhi experienced widespread rainfall. Nagapattinam town wore a deserted look, as the depression closed in on the coast. Manalmedu in the district recorded 12 cm between 8.30 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. Thanjavur and Tiruvarur districts experienced continuous downpour from Friday evening.

Other places that received good rainspell since Friday night were Chidambaram, Karaikal and Cuddalore.

During the nine-hour period ending 5.30 p.m. on Saturday, Neyveli received 6 cm rainfall, Cuddalore and Chidambaram 4 cm, while Karaikal and Tiruchi recorded nearly 2 cm.

In Chennai, the rainfall was moderate with no damage reported from anywhere in the city. The maximum rainfall during the day was 2 cm in Nungambakkam.

Three deaths were due to electrocution. R.Rajendran (50) and his son Ravi Varman (30), residents of Anaikudi village, near Kumbakonam, were electrocuted when they came in contact with a live wire on Friday night. Rajendran died while trying to rescue his son.

The third victim, Ganesan, an engineering student, came in contact with a snapped wire while proceeding on the Mayiladuthurai-Kadakam Road in Nagapattinam district.

H.Sathish Kumar (18) was killed on the spot when a tree uprooted by the strong winds fell on him at Illuppaithoppu in Marakkanam block on Saturday. While the rain caused hardship to hundreds of residents, it raised the hopes of farmers.